Beer Forum

So i'm planning on brewing Janets Brown Ale in the next few days and have been trying to adjust my IBUs. The Northern Brewer that I have is 10.5% AA (the recipe in BCS calls for 6.5%) I entered everything into Beersmith and all of the IBU calculations are off before I adjust them to my hops AA content. Should I not trust the numbers that are pumped out of Beersmith? I'd like to try to make this recipe close to Tastys original recipe. Here is what I get when I boost the NB to my AA content (without changing the amounts from the original recipe). The anticipated IBUs are only 3 IBUs higher than what the recipe with 6.5% AA NB shows.

Batch Size (Gal): 6.00 Wort Size (Gal): 6.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 16.00
Anticipated OG: 1.067
Anticipated SRM: 21.4
Anticipated IBU: 66.4
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
75.0 12.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
7.8 1.25 lbs. Cara-Pils Dextrine Malt 1.033 2
7.8 1.25 lbs. Crystal 40L America 1.034 40
6.3 1.00 lbs. Wheat Malt America 1.038 2
3.1 0.50 lbs. Chocolate Malt America 1.029 350

Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 oz. Northern Brewer Pellet 10.5 5.8 Mash H
1.25 oz. Northern Brewer Pellet 10.5 36.3 60 min.
1.00 oz. Northern Brewer Pellet 10.5 14.4 15 min.
1.50 oz. Cascade Pellet 6.5 9.8 10 min.
1.50 oz. Cascade Pellet 6.5 0.0 0 min.
2.00 oz. Centennial Pellet 9.00 0.0 Dry Hop

3 IBUs isn't that much of a difference. I believe that JZ says most people can only tell a 10 IBU difference. I vote "Brew that Bad Boy!"

i would agree, but Beersmiths calculations seem off. When i put the recipe in as its written in BCS, it shows the anticipated IBUs as 44 whereas the recipe anticipates 66.

Are you using rager or tinseth for your ibu calculations?

Stinkfist wrote:Are you using rager or tinseth for your ibu calculations?

There is that. Does anyone know what formula Tasty uses?

it is set on tinseth. i think i saw in another forum that Tasty uses rager. When i change it to rager the IBUs go from 44 to 48. i'm wondering if maybe if my equipment or batch settings are throwing it off.

sgraham602 wrote:it is set on tinseth. i think i saw in another forum that Tasty uses rager. When i change it to rager the IBUs go from 44 to 48. i'm wondering if maybe if my equipment or batch settings are throwing it off.

I am going to say two things: 1) enter the recipe before adjusting for your equipment and see what that does, and 2) Don't worry too much about it. You'll still make a great beer. You'll never duplicate Tasty's house flavor. You don't put dog hair in your mash.

RDWAIHAHB.

cool. thanks. BTW, saw in BCS it calls for 60 min boil and Tasty has listed a 90 min on here. will one be any better than the other? either way i'll be adjusting my boil volume to hit the OG.